Actually, selling tickets is not the issue. The simple fact is that ticket sales have become secondary to other marketting and fan support is not considered an important issue. Infastructure and commercial marketting is what drives getting a franchise. Todays NHL requires a 20,000 seat building complete with luxury boxes and corporate support, a city could sell out the building for hockey but still not make it because they can't sell the building for the rest of the year.

Finances drive the awarding of new franchises, not fan support.

As for fighting in hockey, you say the only people who want to put an end to fighting are real hockey fans. I couldn't disagree more, most people who cry about ending fighting are people who never played the game and don't understand it. Banning fighting has been tried in many leagues and has always failed because when you ban fighting, things like stick violations go up. You said it yourself earlier in this discussion, "why didn't he drop the gloves and settle it like a man" or something to that effect. If you banned fighting, there would be no opportunity to do just that and so you find another way to retaliate. Not Simon's way, something sneakier where you won't get caught.

Banning fighting oversimplifies the issue of violence in hockey. Fighting creates a level of respect that's missing in todays over protected game. It is not just a coincidences that despite tremendous advances in equipment and protection, head injuries are occuring at a higher rate than ever. The fact is that helmets and visors can not do it all, players are more protected but do not have a level of respect like they used to. Stick injuries increase because players carry their sticks higher, shots to the head increase because of the lack of respect for person. Fighting does instill a level of respect.

Enforcement occurs in all physical sports, it is just more overt in hockey and it is no coincidence that very few injuries actually occur in the fights but many injuries are the result of other forms of retaliation. Like those pepetrated by Simon and Bertuzzi. The fact is that if the players had dropped the gloves and had it out, we wouldn't be talking about the Simon case and Moore would still be playing.

Now in Victoria, BC. I'm from beautiful Jasper Alberta in the heart of the Can. Rockies - will always be an Albertan at heart!

Posts

6,329

Simon will not be charged

19/03/2007 6:34:41 PM
Printer-friendly page

NHL forward Chris Simon will not face criminal charges for an ugly on-ice incident for which he was suspended a league-record 25 games.

CBC Sports
Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg falls after being hit by the Islanders' Chris Simon during a March 8 contest. Simon was handed one of the stiffest suspensions in NHL history.<br /> <em>(Ed Betz/Associated Press)</em>
Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg falls after being hit by the Islanders' Chris Simon during a March 8 contest. Simon was handed one of the stiffest suspensions in NHL history.
(Ed Betz/Associated Press)

"After completing a thorough review of the on-ice incident, my office has declined to criminally charge New York Islander Chris Simon," Kathleen Rice, Nassau County district attorney, Kathleen Rice said in a statement.

The NHL suspended Simon for his two-handed stick attack to the face of the New York Rangers' Ryan Hollweg during a March 8 game at the Nassau Coliseum. Rice said her office considered "the willingness of the potential victim to support a criminal prosecution" and other factors in reaching its decision.

Hollweg, who required stitches after the hit, told the prosecuter's office he wasn't happy with what Simon did, but didn't want to press charges.

The incident occurred during the third period of the Rangers' 2-1 win on Long Island, N.Y. After Hollweg put Simon face first into the boards with a hard check, Simon got up, skated a few strides toward Hollweg and delivered a two-hand chop to the jaw with his stick.

In recent years, two NHL players have been charged criminally for on-ice incidents.

Former Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi, now with the Detroit Red Wings, was found guilty of assault for a sucker-punch that left Colorado forward Steve Moore with a fractured neck and other injuries stemming from a game on March 8, 2004. A B.C. court sentenced him to a year's probation and 80 hours of community service.

Now retired, Marty McSorley of the Boston Bruins was convicted of assault with a weapon for slashing then Canuck Donald Brashear in the head with his stick in February 2000. He was handed an 18-month conditional discharge.

Simon's suspension tops in NHL history

Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice-president and director of hockey operations, handed down Simon's suspension after reviewing the hit. Simon must miss a minimum of 25 games - 15 regular-season contests without pay, plus another 10 games (should the Islanders make the playoffs, Simon would miss these or serve the remaining games at the start of next season).

Simon's suspension, the sixth of his NHL career, will be the longest in terms of games missed in league history.

McSorley missed 23 games after being suspended for the balance of the regular season in February 2000 for his stick attack on Brashear. McSorley was banned for a year, but never appeared in another NHL game.

Gordie Dwyer also missed 23 games after a September 2000 suspension. He was playing for Tampa Bay Lightning when he abused officials and returned to the ice from the penalty box to fight in an exhibition game against Washington Capitals.

Bertuzzi sat out the rest of the season for punching Moore from behind in March 2004. Bertuzzi missed 13 regular-season games and the Canucks' seven playoff games, and he was prevented from playing anywhere during the 2004-05 lockout. He had been suspended indefinitely and was eventually reinstated by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Dale Hunter, while he was with Washington, was suspended for the first 21 regular-season games of the 1993-94 season for a hit on Pierre Turgeon, then with the Islanders, following a Turgeon goal during the 1993 playoffs.

Simon sorry for actions

Simon, from Wawa, Ont., issued a statement shortly after his hit on Hollweg saying he was "disgusted" by what he saw.

"There is absolutely no place in hockey for what I did," he said.

He apologized to Hollweg, a 23-year-old Californian, saying his hope was to "reach out to him in the near future." He also apologized to his team and to the league.

"What you saw Thursday is not the person, player and competitor that I am," he stated. "I know my teammates and opponents over my 14 years in the NHL understand that."

Simon added he was "completely out of it" when he got up after being checked by Hollweg. He underwent physical tests the day after the game and said he'd suffered a concussion when he hit the boards. Team doctors told him he should not travel.

Actually, selling tickets is not the issue. The simple fact is that ticket sales have become secondary to other marketting and fan support is not considered an important issue. Infastructure and commercial marketting is what drives getting a franchise. Todays NHL requires a 20,000 seat building complete with luxury boxes and corporate support, a city could sell out the building for hockey but still not make it because they can't sell the building for the rest of the year.

Finances drive the awarding of new franchises, not fan support.

As for fighting in hockey, you say the only people who want to put an end to fighting are real hockey fans. I couldn't disagree more, most people who cry about ending fighting are people who never played the game and don't understand it. Banning fighting has been tried in many leagues and has always failed because when you ban fighting, things like stick violations go up. You said it yourself earlier in this discussion, "why didn't he drop the gloves and settle it like a man" or something to that effect. If you banned fighting, there would be no opportunity to do just that and so you find another way to retaliate. Not Simon's way, something sneakier where you won't get caught.

Banning fighting oversimplifies the issue of violence in hockey. Fighting creates a level of respect that's missing in todays over protected game. It is not just a coincidences that despite tremendous advances in equipment and protection, head injuries are occuring at a higher rate than ever. The fact is that helmets and visors can not do it all, players are more protected but do not have a level of respect like they used to. Stick injuries increase because players carry their sticks higher, shots to the head increase because of the lack of respect for person. Fighting does instill a level of respect.

Enforcement occurs in all physical sports, it is just more overt in hockey and it is no coincidence that very few injuries actually occur in the fights but many injuries are the result of other forms of retaliation. Like those pepetrated by Simon and Bertuzzi. The fact is that if the players had dropped the gloves and had it out, we wouldn't be talking about the Simon case and Moore would still be playing.

I've played the game and I understand it completely. Your arguments advocating fighting are hollow.

Football is infintely more physical than hockey. Fighting is almost non-existent. When it occurs, the players are dealt with immediately and harshly. Same with the less physical, but equally competitive games of baseball and basketball.

Enforcement is macho BS. I could accept your argument about fighting if the NHL would ban, immediately and forever, any player who uses a weapon (even Terry O'Reilly using the fan's shoe to beat him over the head) from the game.

BTW, if your theory about enforcement is so sound, how come Bertuzzi didn't have his face punched in at the beginning of the first shift against Moore's team?

Comparing Football to hockey is apples to oranges. The snails pace of football (compared to hockey) means few fouls are missed by the refs and you don't have the close quarters like a hockey rink. Can't compare enforcement because in football it's slow enough that the refs can catch most violation. You also only play each other once a year in football, rivalries don't build.

Todd Bertuzzi didn't play again for a year and a half after that incident and the first game was played virtually under a microscope. Players on both sides were read the riot act prior to the game.

They COULD sell tickets, unlike Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa, cities like Winnipeg and Quebec City, did have fans ALL YEAR ROUND not just when their teams were in the playoffs, I mean look at last year this is a perfect example. Edmonton vs Anaheim, Western Conference FINALS, Edmonton sold out in 1 minute for every game, Anaheim you could walk up to the box office ONE HOUR before game time and buy a ticket, as far as i am concerned a city that you can do that in does not deserve a hockey team.

The reason Winnipeg and Quebec moved south of the border was because back in the early 90's the Canadian Dollar was WEAK WEAK WEAK compared to the American. The owners, even with a full house every night could not afford to pay their big time players because rich American teams would try to buy their way to a Stanley Cup. Therefore teams would have young up and coming stars that they built and molded into superstars, only to have them bought by an American team (Teemu Selane Winnipeg - Anaheim for example) and therefore their teams could not compete against the stacked american teams. Which is why they would lose money, and sell the team to an American who then moved the team south of the border and created this embarassment of teams in cities that should not have them.

They COULD sell tickets, unlike Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa, cities like Winnipeg and Quebec City, did have fans ALL YEAR ROUND not just when their teams were in the playoffs, I mean look at last year this is a perfect example. Edmonton vs Anaheim, Western Conference FINALS, Edmonton sold out in 1 minute for every game, Anaheim you could walk up to the box office ONE HOUR before game time and buy a ticket, as far as i am concerned a city that you can do that in does not deserve a hockey team.

The reason Winnipeg and Quebec moved south of the border was because back in the early 90's the Canadian Dollar was WEAK WEAK WEAK compared to the American. The owners, even with a full house every night could not afford to pay their big time players because rich American teams would try to buy their way to a Stanley Cup. Therefore teams would have young up and coming stars that they built and molded into superstars, only to have them bought by an American team (Teemu Selane Winnipeg - Anaheim for example) and therefore their teams could not compete against the stacked american teams. Which is why they would lose money, and sell the team to an American who then moved the team south of the border and created this embarassment of teams in cities that should not have them.

Cities that should not have them? Are there rules for this? Are they written someplace? Or do you mean UNITED STATES cities who should not have them?

Professional sports is a business. It always will be. If the economics were reversed, you would have no problem with Canadian clubs raiding the US teams for their stars.

There is no loyalty in sports anymore. Teams have no loyalty to their players and players have no loyalty to their teams. It's all about dollars. Good or bad, that's the way it is and it is never going to change.

If I invest tens of millions of dollars in a team, Do I want that team to win? Only if it synonomous with making money.

Seems like you will have to get over it. Or you could start your own hockey league in Canada. Let me know how you make out.

Yes i am talking about UNITED STATES cities. But i am not reffering to them just because they are in the USA, that just happenes to be a coincidence. The fact of the matter is this, people in the United States for the most part don't care about hockey, lots have no idea about anything about the game. Yes you are right I would not care if Canadian teams - all 6 of them raided American teams - all 24 of them for their stars, but that doesnt matter because the fact is it will not happen. With the new cap system teams can afford One maybe two stars on their team, and there are enough stars for American teams to have their share of superstars. Hockey is a great game, the NHL is a great league, it could be better, if a CANADIAN ran the league. How was Americans feel if a Canadian came in and started running the NFL or NBA or MLB. We invented the game of hockey as it is played today, it is OUR game OUR national pasttime, WE should run the league and it would be a much better league.

Don't forget, we invented Basketball too. Unfortunately very few people like the game so we let the Americans have it.

Lets not turn this into a we vs them thing. Canadians only soverenty claim to hockey should be that we play it better than anybody else, to suggest our bottom feeders could run the game better that anybody elses bottom feeders is ludicrous. I have in the past beaten the cheque-book recruitment issue to death(just ask George), but the fact is that Quebec and Winnipeg lost their teams primarily because of infrastructure, their buildings were not up to standard for todays NHL and there was not the marketplace to justify the 2 Cities building an arena that was.

Yes i am talking about UNITED STATES cities. But i am not reffering to them just because they are in the USA, that just happenes to be a coincidence. The fact of the matter is this, people in the United States for the most part don't care about hockey, lots have no idea about anything about the game. Yes you are right I would not care if Canadian teams - all 6 of them raided American teams - all 24 of them for their stars, but that doesnt matter because the fact is it will not happen. With the new cap system teams can afford One maybe two stars on their team, and there are enough stars for American teams to have their share of superstars. Hockey is a great game, the NHL is a great league, it could be better, if a CANADIAN ran the league. How was Americans feel if a Canadian came in and started running the NFL or NBA or MLB. We invented the game of hockey as it is played today, it is OUR game OUR national pasttime, WE should run the league and it would be a much better league.

Hey, at least if you are a bigot, you are an honest bigot. 90% of the Canadians I know are Albertans. Including people from your FD. Thank God they do not think like you do.

I had a much longer response typed out. You're a friggin' kid is is not even a FF. You don't deserve a second more of my time.

Don't forget, we invented Basketball too. Unfortunately very few people like the game so we let the Americans have it.

Lets not turn this into a we vs them thing. Canadians only soverenty claim to hockey should be that we play it better than anybody else, to suggest our bottom feeders could run the game better that anybody elses bottom feeders is ludicrous. I have in the past beaten the cheque-book recruitment issue to death(just ask George), but the fact is that Quebec and Winnipeg lost their teams primarily because of infrastructure, their buildings were not up to standard for todays NHL and there was not the marketplace to justify the 2 Cities building an arena that was.

You can take basketball back for all I care. I hate basketball. It's like gang warfare while wearing shorts. Give me a Ranger game any day.

oh so im not a firefighter now because i disagree with you and i am younger then you?

I am originally from the city i have there, do not live there now, just havent got around to changing it because i am not on this site enough. I am not a biggot, I have nothing against the USA or people from the USA, I am just saying we should have someone that knows hockey running the NHL. Gary Bettman made all his money and moved up within the NBA and then just jumped over to the NHL when the job opened up, as far as I am concerened he has no idea what he is talking about. The league was run great when the head offices were in Toronto and it was run by Canadians, I think we should have a Canadian in there now.

Or at least an American who knows something about the game. But hey i guess that makes me a biggot, and being a younger person then you that disagrees with you makes me a "kid not worth your time".

oh so im not a firefighter now because i disagree with you and i am younger then you?

I am originally from the city i have there, do not live there now, just havent got around to changing it because i am not on this site enough. I am not a biggot, I have nothing against the USA or people from the USA, I am just saying we should have someone that knows hockey running the NHL. Gary Bettman made all his money and moved up within the NBA and then just jumped over to the NHL when the job opened up, as far as I am concerened he has no idea what he is talking about. The league was run great when the head offices were in Toronto and it was run by Canadians, I think we should have a Canadian in there now.

Or at least an American who knows something about the game. But hey i guess that makes me a biggot, and being a younger person then you that disagrees with you makes me a "kid not worth your time".

No. You're not a FF because the public profile-which you JUST changed in the last hour-says that you're not.

biggot because i think the american running the league doesnt have a clue and the american teams that get no support should be in a different city.

I have no problems with an American running the league if they knew what they were doing, Bettman does not and he is ruining the game.

I have no problems with American cities having teams if the city supports them.

New York teams get alot of support, Detroit, Colorado, LA, San Jose, all these teams get great support, I am talking about the Atlantas and Nashvilles of the league who have good teams and empty seats night in and night out.

Just like the Expos left Montreal because Montreal isnt a baseball city and people did not go to their games, the Thrashers and Predators should be leaving their cities too.

Atlanta had a team back in the 70's they left and went to Calgary, Atlanta wasn't a hockey city then, what makes it one now? If you can't fill a building then you don't deserve a team. All Bettman cares about is having 30 teams so it can be considered one of the Big 4 with Football Baseball and Basketball. Instead he should worry about having a better product on the ice, better tv deals and if Americans don't want to watch hockey, don't give them a team. Instead of trying to be just like the other sports he should just worry about his own and make it better.

biggot because i think the american running the league doesnt have a clue and the american teams that get no support should be in a different city.

I have no problems with an American running the league if they knew what they were doing, Bettman does not and he is ruining the game.

I have no problems with American cities having teams if the city supports them.

New York teams get alot of support, Detroit, Colorado, LA, San Jose, all these teams get great support, I am talking about the Atlantas and Nashvilles of the league who have good teams and empty seats night in and night out.

Just like the Expos left Montreal because Montreal isnt a baseball city and people did not go to their games, the Thrashers and Predators should be leaving their cities too.

Atlanta had a team back in the 70's they left and went to Calgary, Atlanta wasn't a hockey city then, what makes it one now? If you can't fill a building then you don't deserve a team. All Bettman cares about is having 30 teams so it can be considered one of the Big 4 with Football Baseball and Basketball. Instead he should worry about having a better product on the ice, better tv deals and if Americans don't want to watch hockey, don't give them a team. Instead of trying to be just like the other sports he should just worry about his own and make it better.

Ah yes.... Good old Gary. Many moons ago I spent a few weeks attending summer school. Gary took me a buddy a few times. (He was friends with my buddy’s father) Boy he could fight for small guy! Think Terry O’Reilly. Tie Domi in his Ranger days couldn’t hold Gary’s Jock strap. I played street hockey in a bank parking lot that was next door to the hotel the 4 time Stanley Cup Champs stayed during the post season (Burt Bacharach’s). I have fond memories of them coming out signing autographs and playing with us.

biggot because i think the american running the league doesnt have a clue and the american teams that get no support should be in a different city.

I have no problems with an American running the league if they knew what they were doing, Bettman does not and he is ruining the game.

I have no problems with American cities having teams if the city supports them.

New York teams get alot of support, Detroit, Colorado, LA, San Jose, all these teams get great support, I am talking about the Atlantas and Nashvilles of the league who have good teams and empty seats night in and night out.

Just like the Expos left Montreal because Montreal isnt a baseball city and people did not go to their games, the Thrashers and Predators should be leaving their cities too.

Atlanta had a team back in the 70's they left and went to Calgary, Atlanta wasn't a hockey city then, what makes it one now? If you can't fill a building then you don't deserve a team. All Bettman cares about is having 30 teams so it can be considered one of the Big 4 with Football Baseball and Basketball. Instead he should worry about having a better product on the ice, better tv deals and if Americans don't want to watch hockey, don't give them a team. Instead of trying to be just like the other sports he should just worry about his own and make it better.

Actually, FFkid, your post that I quoted here is saying quite a different thing than your previous posts of "if a Canadian this and that".

well all i can say is that i love my country and know that any city in this country would show more support to hockey teams then some of the cities i have mentioned from your country. I also think that Canadians as a whole have a better grasp on the game of hockey and understand it more. That is why i think a Canadian should run the league, and I also think the NHL head office should return to Toronto.

Kyle Wellwood and Nik Antropov scored, and enforcer Wade Belak got retribution for Toronto by fighting New Jersey's Cam Janssen in the Maple Leafs' 2-1 win over the Devils on Tuesday night.

The last time the teams played on March 2 at New Jersey, All-Star Maple Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle sustained a concussion after a late hit from Janssen, who was suspended for three games.

Kaberle practiced Monday for the first time since the hit, but missed his eighth straight.

Fans booed Janssen when he stepped on the ice for his first shift and after he sent Yanic Perreault into the boards with a crushing check. Belak and Janssen immediately dropped their gloves at the start of Janssen's second shift.

Belak landing several punches before Janssen connected at center ice. Fans chanted 'Belak!' Belak!' throughout the long bout.

"I came out and just kind of yelled at him and he looked at me, and it was time to go," Belak said. "My job is protect players like Kabby. He's not expected to go out there and fight. That's my job and I'm fine doing it."

Andrew Raycroft made 24 saves for the Leafs, who moved into a tie for eighth in the Eastern Conference with Carolina and Montreal.

Toronto captain Mats Sundin called it an "unbelievable fight."

"We lose one of our best players during this time of the season. I thought it was the appropriate thing to do and he did a great job," Sundin said.

Travis Zajac scored for the Atlantic Division-leading Devils, who have lost four of five.

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur gave Janssen credit for fighting.

"He's a great kid. He doesn't mean to hurt anybody. He plays his game. He was dealt with a certain talent and that's what he does," Brodeur said. "He felt really bad for what happened to Kaberle. He's been waiting for this for a long time. He knew he had to face the music and he did it like a man, that's good."

New Jersey's Jay Pandolfo lost the puck on a breakaway, and the Leafs brought it back up ice. Mats Sundin made a drop pass to Wellwood, whose one-timer gave Toronto a 1-0 lead at 18:33 of the first.

Sundin recorded his 900th Toronto point with his second assist. Sundin failed to score on a wraparound, but Antropov put in the rebound at 6:01 of the third.

Just 48 seconds later, Zajac cut it to 2-1 by scoring on a rebound.

The Devils pulled Brodeur for an extra skater with 34 seconds left, but failed to net the tying goal.